The invention relates to lift racks for maintenance of a two-wheeled vehicle.
In servicing a motorcycle, it is necessary or desirable to lift the motorcycle to make undercarriage vehicle components accessible for repair or maintenance purposes. Prior art mechanisms for lifting motorcycles usually include a platform connected to a base by an articulated linkage. The motorcycle is loaded on the platform when the platform is lowered toward the ground or floor surface that supports the lift. Provision is made in such known construction for actuating the linkage that connects the platform to the base using a fluid motor. An example of a construction of this type may be seen by referring to a catalog published by Autec Hofbruggen BV in the Netherlands. Lifts similar to the Autec lift have been used also to raise water craft and garden tractors for maintenance purposes. An example of a lift of this kind is disclosed in U.S. Patent Design 344,835.
In the prior art constructions, the lift track and the mechanism for lifting the motorcycle require the operator to wheel the motorcycle onto the platform which is raised from the surface that supports the lift track. Because of the weight of the vehicle, it is necessary to use a ramp device for raising the vehicle to the level of the platform before the platform is raised. Lift mechanisms of conventional design further require special stabilizing structural members for the motorcycle, which add to the overall weight of the lift. Further, the overall width of conventional lift mechanisms, including the load-supporting platform, is usually much wider than the transverse width of the motorcycle itself. This encumbers access to the undercarriage of the motorcycle for maintenance purposes.
It is an objective of the invention to provide a medium-weight lift rack assembly for a motorcycle and other two-wheeled vehicles wherein the vehicle can be wheeled by the operator onto the rack before it is raised. The operator thus can drive or roll the motorcycle onto the track and deploy the usual side stand prior to raising of the lift rack. The operator then can dismount the vehicle and secure the motorcycle properly before it is elevated.
The lift rack of the invention prevents transverse deviation of the motorcycle wheels by providing side walls on the base of the lift rack, which center the motorcycle on the lift rack.
The overall width of the lift track of the invention is narrower than the width of the motorcycle itself. This provides an unobtrusive profile for the lift rack and permits unencumbered access to the undercarriage of the motorcycle for maintenance purposes.
The motorcycle is lifted as the lift rack engages the motorcycle tires rather than the frame of the vehicle itself. This prevents possible damage to vehicle body work or paint.
The lift rack of the invention may be used in tandem with another lift rack of the same design to create a lifting mechanism for four-wheeled vehicles, such as lawn tractors or four-wheel all-terrain vehicles.
The lift rack includes an upper channel that is engaged by the tires of the vehicle. The upper channel has a base plate that rests on the ground or floor when the lift rack is lowered. A forward portion of the channel may be detachable from a main channel section. This permits the motorcycle front wheel to overhang the main track section for purposes of tire service or wheel removal without the necessity for using an external jack device. Rear wheel servicing also can be accommodated by reversing the position of the vehicle on the channel.
The lift rack assembly includes ground or floor engaging rails that are connected to the upper channel by parallelogram linkage elements or arms. A fluid motor, supported by the rails, activates the linkage elements to raise the upper channel.
A further feature of the invention is its lightweight design, which facilitates storage when the rack is not in use. Compared to known lift rack designs, the invention also improves the degree of safety in servicing the motorcycle because of its improved stabilizing characteristics.
The lift rack of the present invention can be adapted readily for storage by employing casters mounted on its forward end, thereby permitting an operator to raise the opposite end of the lift rack so that the assembly can be wheelbarreled to a storage location. A stabilizer bar is connected to the rails to provide lateral stability. A tie-down bar is connected to the upper channel to provide an anchor for tie-down straps connected to the vehicle.